Adoration of the Magi by Florentine painter Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337). The Star of Bethlehem is shown as a comet above the child. Giotto witnessed an appearance of Halley's Comet in 1301.

See also Star of Bethlehem (plant).

The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star or Jesus Star, is a star in Christian nativity tradition that revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi (or 'wise men') and later led them to Bethlehem. According to the Gospel of Matthew,^[1] the magi were men "from the east" who were inspired by the appearance of the star to travel to Jerusalem in search of a King of the Jews.^[2] There they met King Herod of Judea, who advised them that the child they sought was in Bethlehem, a nearby village. The magi then went to Bethlehem, found Jesus and his mother, paid him homage, worshipped him, gave gifts, and then returned to their "own country".^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 594 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (712 × 718 pixel, file size: 102 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), Cappella Scrovegni a Padova, Life of Christ, Adoration of the Magi +/- File links The following pages on the... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 594 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (712 × 718 pixel, file size: 102 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), Cappella Scrovegni a Padova, Life of Christ, Adoration of the Magi +/- File links The following pages on the... Giotto di Bondone (c. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comet. ... Species see text The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... The Nativity by Petrus Christus, c. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Three Kings, or Three Wise Men redirects here. ... This article is about the city in the West Bank. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... King of the Jews may refer to: One of several historical kings of the Jewish people; see Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah A title of the Jewish Messiah King Herod the Great, declared King of the Jews by the Roman Senate A title used to refer to Jesus... Herod the Great. ... Map of the southern Levant, c. ... This article is about the city in the West Bank. ...

Many Christians regard the star as a miraculous sign given by God to mark the birth of the Christ (or Messiah). Christian theologians claimed that the star fulfilled a prophecy, known as the Star Prophecy. In modern times, astronomers have proposed various explanations for the star, including a nova, a planet, a comet, an occultation, and a conjunction (massing of planets). The subject is a favorite at planetarium shows during the Christmas season,^[4] although the Biblical account suggests that the visit of the magi took place at least several months after Jesus was born.^[5] The visit is traditionally celebrated on Epiphany (January 6) in Western Christianity^[6] and on Christmas (December 25) in Eastern Christianity.^[7] This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ... For other uses, see Sign (disambiguation). ... In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... The Star Prophecy was a Messianic reading applied by radical Jews and early Christians to a text from the Book of Numbers 24:17: —— which was often employed during the troubled years that led up to the Jewish Revolt, the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (70 CE) and... An astronomer or astrophysicist is a scientist whose area of research is astronomy or astrophysics. ... Artists conception of a white dwarf star accreting hydrogen from a larger companion A nova (pl. ... This article is about the astronomical term. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ... In this July, 1997 still frame captured from video, the bright star Aldebaran has just reappeared on the dark limb of the waning crescent moon in this predawn occultation. ... For the song by Ai Otsuka, see Planetarium (song) // A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ... The Wise Men (Magi) adoring the infant Jesus. ...

Many scholars question the historicity of the story, regarding the star as a pious fiction created by the author of the Gospel of Matthew. ^[8]

Biblical narrative

The Gospel of Matthew states that magi (Greek magoi, in this context probably meaning "astronomer" or "astrologer"^[9]) arrived at the court of Herod in Jerusalem and told the king of a star which signified the birth of the King of the Jews: The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ...

The statement that Herod was "frightened" by what the magi said has told him implies that he was disturbed by their statement that the "king of the Jews" had been born, since that was his own title.^[11] He understood this phrase to refer to the Messiah, a leader of the Jewish people whose coming was foretold in Old Testament prophecy. So he asked his advisors where the Messiah would be born.^[12] They answered Bethlehem, birthplace of King David, and quoted the prophet Micah.^[13] The king passed this information along to the magi.^[14] This article is about the Biblical king of Israel. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... The Book of Micah (Hebrew: ספר מיכה) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Micah the Prophet. ...

Adoration of the Magi, Chartres Cathedral, by Jehan de Beauce, France, 16th century.

Matthew's account suggests that the magi knew from the star that the "king of the Jews" had already been born even before they arrived in Jerusalem. The magi presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 756 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1724 × 1367 pixel, file size: 963 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of Bethlehem... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 756 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1724 × 1367 pixel, file size: 963 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of Bethlehem... The Cathedral of Chartres (Cathedral of Our Lady in Chartres, French: Cathédrale Notre_Dame de Chartres), located in Chartres, about 50 miles from Paris, is considered the finest example in all France of the high Gothic style of architecture. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... 100g of frankincense resin. ... 100g of Myrrh. ...

In a dream, the magi were warned not to return to Jerusalem, so they "left for their own country by another road".^[16] When Herod realized that he had been tricked, he ordered the execution of all male children in Bethlehem age 2 and under, based on the information the magi had given him concerning the time the star first appeared.^[17] The Holy Innocents by Giotto di Bondone. ...

Interpretations and explanations

A fulfillment of prophecy

The ancients believed that astronomical phenomena were connected to terrestrial events. Miracles were routinely associated with the birth of important people, including the Hebrew patriarchs, as well as Greek and Roman heroes.^[18] Although not referred by Matthew, the Star Prophecy^[19] in the Book of Numbers was well-known at the time that that the Gospels were written. It was, for example, cited by Josephus, who believed it referred to Emperor Vespasian.^[20] Origen, one of the most influential early Christian theologians, connected this prophecy with the Star of Bethlehem: The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ... See Patriarchs (Bible) for details about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew ba-midbar במדבר, i. ... A fanciful representation of Flavius Josephus, in an engraving in William Whistons translation of his works Josephus (37 – sometime after 100 CE),[1] who became known, in his capacity as a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus,[2] was a 1st-century Jewish historian and apologist of priestly and... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (born November 17, 9, died June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... Origen Origen (Greek: Ōrigénēs, 185–ca. ...

The magi may have decided to travel to Jerusalem when they somehow, "conjectured that the man whose appearance had been foretold along with that of the star, had actually come into the world", according to Origen.^[22]

The magi are sometimes called "kings" because of the belief that they fulfill a prophecy by Isaiah concerning a journey to Jerusalem by gentile kings.^[23] In the Septuagint, the Greek translation Matthew probably used, this prophecy mentions gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In the Book of Daniel, the magi (Aramaic mag, Septuagint magoi) are portrayed as an association of scholars in Babylon.^[24] Daniel, who in the book is selected chief magus, was considered "one of the greatest prophets" by the Jews, according to Josephus.^[25] Isaiah the Prophet in Hebrew Scriptures was depicted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... For other uses, see Book of Daniel (disambiguation). ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ...

While Origen argued for a naturalistic explanation, John Chrysostom viewed the star as purely miraculous: "How then, tell me, did the star point out a spot so confined, just the space of a manger and shed, unless it left that height and came down, and stood over the very head of the young child? And at this the evangelist was hinting when he said, Lo, the star went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was."^[26] This article refers to the Christian saint. ...

The night sky as it appeared looking south from Jerusalem on Nov. 12, 7 BC, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1016x722, 236 KB) The Star of Bethlehem? Sky of Jerusalem at 7BC-11-12 18:00 - 21:30 (local) heading south (15 min. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1016x722, 236 KB) The Star of Bethlehem? Sky of Jerusalem at 7BC-11-12 18:00 - 21:30 (local) heading south (15 min. ...

An astronomical object

The fact that the magi told Herod that they saw the star "at its rising",^[27] suggests that they observed an astronomical object.

In 1614, German astronomer Johannes Kepler determined that a series of three conjunctions of the planets Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the year 7 BC.^[28] Although conjunctions were important in astrology, Kepler was not thinking in astrological terms. He argued that a planetary conjunction could create a nova, which he linked to the Star of Bethlehem.^[28] Modern calculations show that there was always a significant gap between the two planets, so these conjunctions were not visually impressive. An ancient almanac has been found in Babylon which covers the events of this period, but it makes no specific reference to the conjunctions.^[29] Kepler redirects here. ... For other uses, see Jupiter (disambiguation). ... This article is about the planet. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... Artists conception of a white dwarf star accreting hydrogen from a larger companion A nova (pl. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ...

Chinese and Korean stargazers observed an object thought to be a nova or a comet around 5 BC. This object was observed for over seventy days with no movement recorded. Ancient writers described comets as "hanging over" specific cities, just as the Star of Bethlehem was said to have "stood over" the "place" where Jesus was (presumably the town of Bethlehem).^[30] This phrase was not used to describe other astronomical objects, so perhaps the tail of a comet was thought to point to a specific terrestrial location. A comet is generally thought unlikely, however, as comets were usually associated with death and disaster.^[31] Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ...

Another Star of Bethlehem candidate is Uranus, which passed close to Saturn in 9 BC and Venus in 6 BC, but this is unlikely, as Uranus moves very slowly and is only very dimly visible.^[32] For other uses, see Uranus (disambiguation). ...

A zodiac from a 6th century mosaic at a synagogue in Beit Alpha, Israel

A recent hypothesis states that the star of Bethlehem was a supernova or hypernova occurring in the nearby Andromeda Galaxy. The author notes that a Type Ia or Ic supernova/hypernova occurring in the Andromeda Galaxy would have been visible directly overhead in the town of Bethlehem at the same time of the birth of Jesus. Although supernovae have been detected in Andromeda, it is extremely difficult to detect a supernova remnant in another galaxy, let alone obtain an accurate date of when it occurred. ^[33] Image File history File links Beit_Alpha. ... Image File history File links Beit_Alpha. ... For other uses, see Zodiac (disambiguation). ... The Andromeda Galaxy (IPA: , also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224; older texts often called it the Great Andromeda Nebula) is a spiral galaxy approximately 2. ...

An astrological event

The use of the phrase "king of the Jews" by the magi has led many writers to link the Star of Bethlehem to astrology. In Hellenistic astrology, Jupiter was the king planet and Regulus (in the constellation Leo) was the king star.^[34] As they traveled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the star "went before" the magi and then "stood over" the place where Jesus was. In astrological interpretations, these phrases are said to refer to retrograde motion and to stationing, i.e., Jupiter appeared to reverse course for a time, then stopped, and finally resumed its normal progression^[35] The term Hellenistic (established by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen) in the history of the ancient world is used to refer to the shift from a culture dominated by ethnic Greeks, however scattered geographically, to a culture dominated by Greek-speakers of whatever ethnicity, and from the political dominance... For other uses, see Jupiter (disambiguation). ... Regulus (α Leo / α Leonis / Alpha Leonis) is the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. ... Leo (IPA: , Latin: , symbol , ) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Prograde motion is the motion of a planetary body in a direction similar to that of other bodies within its system, and is sometimes called direct motion, especially in astrology. ...

In 3-2 BC, there was a series of seven conjunctions, including three between Jupiter and Regulus and a strikingly close conjunction between Jupiter and Venus near Regulus on June 17, 2 BC.^[34] "The fusion of two planets would have been a rare and awe-inspiring event", according to an influential paper by Roger Sinnott.^[36] For other uses, see Jupiter (disambiguation). ... Regulus (α Leo / α Leonis / Alpha Leonis) is the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. ... For other uses, see Venus (disambiguation). ...

Astronomer Michael Molnar has proposed a link between a double occultation of Jupiter by the moon in 6 BC in Aries and the Star of Bethlehem, particularly the second occulation on April 17.^[37] This event was quite close to the sun and would have been difficult to observe, even with a small telescope,^[38] which had not yet been invented. Occultations of planets by the moon are quite common, but Firmicus Maternus, an astrologer to Roman Emperor Constantine, wrote that an occultation of Jupiter in Aries was a sign of the birth of a divine king.^[37][39] "When the royal star of Zeus, the planet Jupiter, was in the east this was the most powerful time to confer kingships. Furthermore, the Sun was in Aries where it is exalted. And the Moon was in very close conjunction with Jupiter in Aries", Molnar wrote.^[37] This set of planetary conditions reoccurs every sixty years.^[37] Aries (IPA: , Latin: , symbol , ) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Julius Firmicus Maternus, a Latin writer and notable astrologer, who lived in the reign of Constantine and his successors. ... Constantine. ...

A historical fiction

Many historians regard the star not as a historial event, but as a pious fiction intended to tell the story of Jesus in the context of the fulfilment of prophecy. In his detailed 1993 study of the birth narratives, The Birth of the Messiah, Raymond E. Brown challenged the traditional view: "those who wish to maintain the historicity of the Matthean magi story are faced with nigh insuperable obstacles". ^[40] He specifies three: firstly, the intrinsic unlikelihood of the story, with unparalleled and yet unrecorded astronomical phenomena and contradictory details of the actions of King Herod; secondly, the difficulty of reconciling the Matthew account with that given in the Gospel of Luke, which makes no mention of the magi or the massacre; and thirdly, apparent conflicts with other details given in the Gospels of the ministry of Jesus (for example, the statement that all of Jerusalem was startled by the birth of the King of the Jews, compared with later ignorance of Jesus or his birth in Bethlehem).^[41] Raymond Edward Brown (May 22, 1928 - August 8, 1998), was an American Roman Catholic priest and Biblical scholar. ...

Matthew is the only one of the four gospels which mentions either the Star of Bethlehem or the magi. The Gospel of Mark, considered by modern text scholars to be the oldest of the Gospels,^[42] does not include a nativity narrative or any hint that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.^[43] The author of the Gospel of John also appears to be unaware of the Bethlehem nativity narratives.^[44] The Gospels often described Jesus as "of Nazareth", but never as "of Bethlehem". Many scholars have concluded that Jesus was probably born in Nazareth and that the nativity narratives are influenced by the desire of the Gospel writers to portray his birth as a fulfillment of what they understood as a prophecy in the Book of Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.^[45] Raymond Brown, having studied the various astronomical explanations, concluded: "no astronomical record exists of what is described in Matthew".^[46] For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... The Gospel of Mark, anonymous[1] but traditionally ascribed to Mark the Evangelist, is a synoptic gospel of the New Testament. ... For other uses, see Gospel of John (disambiguation). ... Hebrew (Natzrat or Natzeret) Arabic الناصرة (an-Nāṣira) Government City District North Population 64,800[1] Metropolitan Area: 185,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 14 200 dunams (14. ... The Book of Micah (Hebrew: ספר מיכה) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Micah the Prophet. ...

Matthew's description of the miracles and portents attending the birth of Jesus can be compared to stories concerning the birth of Augustus (63 BC), the first Roman emperor.^[47] Linking a birth to the first appearance of a star was consistent with the popular belief each person's life was linked to a particular star.^[48] Magi and astronomical events were linked in the public mind by the visit to Rome of a delegation of magi at the time of a spectacular appearance of Halley's Comet in AD 66.^[30] This delegation was led by King Tiridates of Armenia, who came seeking confirmation of his title from Emperor Nero. For other persons named Octavian, see Octavian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comet. ... For other uses, see Nero (disambiguation). ...

Determining the year Jesus was born

"Adoration of the Magi", by Jean Fouquet. This illumination is from Heures d'Étienne Chevalier. France, 15th century. The Star of Bethlehem can be seen in the top right. The soldiers and castle in the background may represent the Battle of Castillon (1453).

Which event is most plausible as an explanation of the Star of Bethlehem depends on which year is accepted as the year Jesus was born. Both Luke and Matthew wrote that Jesus was born when Herod was king. According to Josephus, Herod died shortly after a lunar eclipse. This is usually identified as the eclipse of March 13, 4 BC. Coins issued by Herod's successors show that they dated their reigns as beginning in 4 BC.^[49] Image File history File links L_Adoration_des_Mages. ... Image File history File links L_Adoration_des_Mages. ... Combatants England France Brittany Commanders John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury† Jean Bureau Strength 4,000-6,000 8,000 - 13,000 Casualties 4,000 mainly wounded or captured 100 dead or wounded The Battle of Castillon was the last battle fought between the French, the Bretons and the English... This article is about astronomical eclipses. ...

According to Matthew's account, Jesus must have been born sometime between the first appearance of the Star of Bethlehem and the time the magi arrived in Herod's court. As Herod ordered the execution of boys age two and under, the star must have made its first appearance within the previous two years. There was, however, no Roman census in 6-4 BC, a key element in Luke's narrative; the Census of Quirinius took place in 6-7 AD. Some writers have suggested Luke was referring to another event such as the mass oath taking when Augustus was given the title "father of the nation" (3-2 BC).^[4] Most modern scholars, however, argue that Luke was simply mistaken.^[50] The Census of Quirinius refers to a historical enrollment of the Roman Provinces of Syria and Iudaea for the purpose of taxation taken during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus when Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was appointed governor of Syria, after the banishment of Herod Archelaus in 6 AD, which...

Luke wrote that Jesus was "about thirty" when he began his ministry in AD 29,^[51] which yields a birth year of around 3-2 BC.^[52]

However, John 8:57 states: "Then the Jews said to him [Jesus], ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?’" This conflicts with Luke's account, as it implies that Jesus was then in his mid-forties at the time of his ministry. ^[53] This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

See also

• Star of David
• Seal of Solomon
• Greatest conjunction
• Great conjunction

This article is about a Jewish symbol. ... In Medieval Jewish, Islamic and Christian legends, the Seal of Solomon was a magical signet ring said to have been possessed by King Solomon (or Sulayman in the Islamic version), which variously gave him the power to command demons (or jinni), or to speak with animals. ... A Great Conjunction (also known as a Grand Conjunction) is a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. ... A Great Conjunction (also known as a Grand Conjunction) is a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. ...

References

Geza Vermes (born 22 June 1924) is a Jewish scholar and writer on religious history, particularly Jewish and Christian. ... Ed Parish Sanders (born 1937) is a leading New Testament theologian (Th. ... The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV). ... The Wars of the Jews (or the history of the destruction of Jerusalem) is a book written by the historian Josephus as a description of Jewish history up to the events of the Destruction of Jerusalem. ... Contra Celsus, or (probably better Latin) Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origenes, refutating the anti-christian writings of Celsus the Platonist. ... Antiquities of the Jews (Antiquitates Judaicae in Latin) was a work published by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus about 93-94 (cf. ... Sky & Telescope is a monthly magazine providing articles and information on all aspects of astronomy, space exploration, telescope equipment, and amateur telescope making and use. ... is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... This article is about the year. ... Augustinus redirects here. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus ( 69/75 - after 130), also known as Suetonius, was a prominent Roman historian and biographer. ... Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19th Century portrait. ... Naturalis Historia, 1669 edition, title page. ... John Paul Meier is a prominent Biblical scholar and Catholic priest. ... Raymond Edward Brown (May 22, 1928 - August 8, 1998), was an American Roman Catholic priest and Biblical scholar. ... Adrian Nicholas Sherwin-White (born 1911, died January 11, 1993) was an Oxford historian and member of the British Academy who specialized in Roman history. ... Fergus Millar FBA is Camden Professor of Ancient History Emeritus Oxford University. ... Fergus Millar FBA is Camden Professor of Ancient History Emeritus Oxford University. ... Fergus Millar FBA is Camden Professor of Ancient History Emeritus Oxford University. ...

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